Binary Lambda Calculus and Combinatory Logic

In the first part, we introduce binary representations of both lambda calculus and combinatory logic terms, and demonstrate their simplicity by providing very compact parser-interpreters for these binary languages. Along the way we also present new results on list representations, bracket abstraction, and fixpoint combinators. In the second part we review Algorithmic Information Theory, for which these interpreters provide a convenient vehicle. We demonstrate this with several concrete upper bounds on program-size complexity, including an elegant self-delimiting code for binary strings.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: DAGSTUHL
• Authors: John Tromp
• Keywords: Binary Languages, Binary Representations, Combinatory Logic Terms, DAGSTUHL 2006, DAGSTUHL 2007